Driver Distraction: NHTSA Plans a New Study

NHTSA Plans Study of CarPlay, Android Auto Driver Distraction

Federal safety officials are planning a new study on driver distraction. The research will look at Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and built-in vehicle screens. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) wants to learn how these systems affect driver attention and vehicle control.

The study does not create a new rule for truck drivers. It also does not add new requirements for motor carriers or fleets. Still, the work could matter to trucking over time. More trucks now use large screens, connected apps, navigation tools, and other digital controls.

NHTSA Will Study Driver Distraction From Vehicle Screens

The goal is to see how safely drivers can use phone-based systems through a vehicle’s built-in display. NHTSA plans to collect several kinds of data. This includes eye movement, task time, mistakes, and vehicle performance. Researchers will also ask drivers how easy or hard each system is to use.

The agency will not rely only on driver opinions. It also wants to see what happens while drivers perform tasks. Researchers will track speed, lane position, steering, reaction time, and where drivers look.

That could help show whether some screen designs cause more driver distraction than others.

Study Will Take Place in Two Parts

The first part will take place in the Washington, D.C., area. Up to 56 people will perform six to nine set tasks while wearing special goggles. The goggles will switch between clear and blocked views every 1.5 seconds. This is meant to copy the way drivers look back and forth between the road and a screen.

Researchers will measure how long each task takes. They will also record mistakes and see how drivers recover from them. The goal is to measure how much visual attention each task requires.

The second part will take place on a closed course near Salt Lake City. Seventy-two people will drive specially equipped vehicles on a 0.84-mile test route. Researchers will watch eye movement and several parts of driving performance.

CarPlay, Android Auto, and Factory Systems Will Be Compared

NHTSA plans to compare Apple CarPlay and Android Auto with vehicle makers’ own systems. The agency wants to know how modern phone-mirroring systems compare with older built-in systems. It also wants to know which common tasks meet current driver distraction guidelines.

During the closed-course study, drivers will use three types of systems. These will include an OEM system, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto. NHTSA will compare ease of use, mental workload, and safety-related driving results.

This part of the study could be useful to companies that design future vehicle screens.

Driver Distraction Study Will Include Screen Lockouts

Another part of the research looks at features that change while a vehicle is moving. Some systems block certain functions or add delays once the vehicle is in motion. NHTSA wants to see how drivers react to those limits.

Researchers will also watch how drivers break tasks into smaller steps. They will study how drivers handle errors and how they finish a task after a mistake. This could help show whether screen lockouts reduce driver distraction or simply change driver behavior.

What This Could Mean for Truck Drivers

The study is not aimed at commercial truck drivers. It also does not focus on Class 8 trucks or other commercial motor vehicles. People in the study only need a valid driver’s license and experience with Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, along with other requirements. Businesses are not part of the sample.

That means the results should not be described as a trucking study. Even so, the findings could still matter to truck drivers later. Many newer trucks use screens for navigation, settings, communication, and other daily tasks.

If NHTSA later uses the research to shape safety guidance, vehicle makers may change how some screen functions work. That could include new lockouts, simpler menus, or other changes aimed at reducing driver distraction. No such changes are being proposed in this notice.

Public Comments Raised Questions About the Research

NHTSA opened an earlier 60-day comment period and received two comments. One came from an individual, and the other came from Consumer Reports.

Consumer Reports raised concerns about the scope of the study. It questioned whether NHTSA would focus too much on current guidelines instead of looking at what really causes distraction. It also suggested that the agency study how drivers set their own pace when using vehicle screens.

NHTSA said the research would go beyond a simple check of current guidelines. The agency plans to study eye movement, mental workload, driving results, and how drivers adapt to different systems.

Driver Distraction Research Could Shape Future Policy

NHTSA expects 56 people to complete Part I and 72 people to complete Part II. The research would be a one-time study.

The agency says the results will help it judge whether these systems meet current driver distraction guidelines. NHTSA also says the findings could help guide future safety policy for in-vehicle phone and screen systems.

For truck drivers, there is no immediate change. The larger issue is what the study may lead to later. As more trucks use digital screens and connected systems, federal research on driver distraction could become more important to the trucking industry.